12 November 2011

Ballad of the Sad Grad Student: Really? Really?

I knew the silence was too good to last...

Visiting Dude has sent an e-mail to the group saying we should all join in a round of happy revisions and he'll put my document up on Google Docs so everyone can have input. There should be enough time to rework everyone's input, right?

Cue the homicidal munchkin in my head again: "WHAT PART OF DUE MONDAY DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND? OH YES, IT'S THE SAME PART WHERE YOU NEGLECT TO (A) FINISH YOUR PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT BEFORE YOU LEAVE TOWN AND (B) DON'T LET ANYONE KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUT OF TOWN!" GRRRRAARRRRRR!!!!!

Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry. Seriously...

I have sent VD and the rest of the group a letter. It was nicely worded even. I was polite. I was cordial. I used correct grammar and made no reference to anyone's cranial-rectal inversion. I merely pointed out that I had three out of five people's input by the deadline and had the document ready by mid-morning the next day. However, since two people DIDN'T BOTHER (ahem) to let me know they would not be contributing until they JOLLY WELL FELT LIKE IT (er, sorry), I was unable to send the document until I received all input on Tuesday.

The document was sent out Wednesday. It is now late Saturday and he wants to send it round for more discussion. No. Not happening. Not for the least of which is that apparently you and others cannot be bothered to actually give input and now you want to try and round robin input and revision of a six-page, fact-specific document before Monday? No. Nein. Nyet. Other people in the group have said it's great and, mysteriously, others have made no comment whatsoever. In the meantime, my efforts this weekend are concentrated on finishing the rough draft of my literature review so I can spend the next two to four weeks revising and polishing it for presentation and final turn-in. Dear VD, while I will be happy to look at the final document and consider adding to the final paragraph, I will not be doing any type of full monty revision on a document that is due in 48 hours.

You missed your chance. You are the weakest link. Goodbye. (Dear Buddha juggling lemons while riding a unicycle, where *are* the stabbity things or projectile weapons when you need them???)